Even so, your choice of area matters more here than in many other cities. Two streets can be the difference between a party that goes on late into the night and a quiet courtyard, and in summer, you won’t want to walk far in the heat. Here are my five recommendations for where to stay in New Orleans, with hotels in three price ranges.

The Best Areas in New Orleans

• French Quarter - best area for first-time visitors
• Central Business District - best area for big hotels and good connections
• Warehouse District - best area for museums, galleries and restaurants
• Marigny & Bywater - best area for live music and colourful streets
• Garden District & Lower Garden District - best area for quiet streets and streetcar rides

Below, I’ll take you through the five areas one by one, with a map, practical facts and three hotels, each in a different price range. Along the way, I’ll also tell you about noise, transport and safety, so you know what you’re signing up for.

1. French Quarter - best area for first-time visitors

• Distance from the centre: You’ll be staying in the city’s historic centre. The neighbourhood covers around 85 blocks between Canal Street, Esplanade Avenue, Rampart Street and the Mississippi River.
• Transport: You can walk to almost everything. The Riverfront line runs along the river from the French Market, and Canal Street is where you catch the streetcars to the Garden District and City Park.
• Time from the airport: Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) is around 19 km to the west as the crow flies. My estimate is 25 to 40 minutes by car, depending on the traffic. Taxis charge a flat fare to the French Quarter and the Central Business District: $36 for up to two people and $15 per person if there are three or more of you. See the airport’s page on taxis.
• Price range: $$ to $$$$. Some of the city’s most expensive hotels are here, but so are simpler hotels in the streets away from Bourbon Street.
• Safety: There are lots of people here, and pickpockets target inattentive tourists around Bourbon Street. Stick to well-lit, busy streets in the evening, and take a taxi if you need to cross the quiet edges of the neighbourhood late at night.

The French Quarter is my first choice for a first trip to New Orleans. The neighbourhood was founded in 1718, and it’s where you’ll find Jackson Square, St. Louis Cathedral, the galleries and antique shops on Royal Street and the wrought-iron balconies you’ve seen in photos. It’s only just over a kilometre from Canal Street to Esplanade Avenue, so you can walk to everything.

The most important decision is how far you stay from Bourbon Street. At the Canal Street end, the bars are packed close together, the music is loud and the party carries on late into the night. If your window faces the street, you’ll hear it. Just one or two streets away, it’s far more peaceful, and the same goes for the part of the neighbourhood closest to Esplanade Avenue.

See hotels in the French Quarter here.

My advice is to choose a hotel on Chartres Street, Dauphine Street or Burgundy Street, or on Royal Street some way from Canal Street. That way, Bourbon Street is still a few minutes’ walk away whenever you feel like it. Many hotels are in old houses with thin windows, and the rubbish trucks come early, so bring earplugs even if the street is quiet.

The French Quarter is also one of the most expensive places to stay in the city, and prices rise sharply around Mardi Gras and the big festivals. Expect to pay extra for parking at your hotel, and if you’re planning to hire a car, don’t pick it up until you’re moving on.

The neighbourhood suits you best if you have three or four days and want to be able to walk home from both dinner and music. If you’re a light sleeper or travelling with small children, I’d look at one of the quieter areas further down in this guide.

Places to Stay in the French Quarter

Hotel Monteleone - classic grand hotel with a rooftop pool one street from Bourbon Street

Hotel Monteleone is on Royal Street, at the Canal Street end of the French Quarter. It’s around 600 metres to Jackson Square and just one street to Bourbon Street. There’s a heated pool on the roof, and the hotel has the Criollo restaurant and the Carousel Bar, where the bar itself revolves.

I’d choose it if you want to stay in the middle of everything at a hotel with a spa, a gym and a style all of its own, and if your budget stretches to it. The rooms range from Traditional King to suites with river views. A few guests found their room smaller than expected and the drinks at the bar expensive. Parking is by valet and costs extra.

One guest writes on Booking.com: “It was lovely to be able to relax by the rooftop pool after a day of sightseeing.”

See photos and book Hotel Monteleone here.

Hotel Provincial - pool and courtyards at the quiet end of the neighbourhood

Hotel Provincial is on Chartres Street, two streets from Bourbon Street and in the part of the French Quarter closest to Esplanade Avenue. It’s less than 200 metres to the French Market, around 350 metres to Jackson Square and just over half a kilometre to the music venues on Frenchmen Street.

The hotel has an outdoor pool, several courtyards, a restaurant and a bar, and you can choose between standard rooms and suites. It’s my pick if you want to stay in the French Quarter and still get a night’s sleep. It isn’t completely silent: guests mention thin windows, rubbish trucks early in the morning and noise from the courtyard on some evenings, and the parking is expensive.

Here’s how one guest describes the location on Booking.com: “Location is fantastic. Right in the French Quarter but in a lovely and quiet street.”

See photos and book Hotel Provincial here.

Dauphine Orleans Hotel - simple hotel with a saltwater pool close to Canal Street

Dauphine Orleans Hotel is on Dauphine Street, one street from Bourbon Street on the side away from the river. It’s around 400 metres to Canal Street and just over half a kilometre to Jackson Square. The hotel has an outdoor saltwater pool, a garden, a bar and a lift.

It’s usually the cheapest of my three suggestions and a good choice if you want to stay centrally without paying for a big hotel. The standard is more basic: several guests write that the rooms and bathrooms need renovating, and that you can hear both the neighbours and the corridor from inside your room. Breakfast is a simple continental one.

One review on Booking.com says: “The location is great, in the heart of the French Quarter, but not noisy.”

See photos and book Dauphine Orleans Hotel here.

2. Central Business District - best area for big hotels and good connections

• Distance from the centre: The neighbourhood begins where the French Quarter ends, on the other side of Canal Street. From the middle of the district, it’s around 1.4 km to Jackson Square.
• Transport: The best transport hub in the city. The St. Charles line starts at Canal Street and Carondelet Street, the Canal Street lines run towards City Park, and one line runs along Loyola Avenue to Union Passenger Terminal.
• Time from the airport: Around 18 km, and my estimate is 25 to 40 minutes by car. According to the airport, the 202 Airport Express bus runs to Elk Place and Union Passenger Terminal for $1.25. See the airport’s page on buses.
• Price range: $$ to $$$$. You often get more hotel for your money than in the French Quarter, and this is where many of the big chain hotels are.
• Safety: The office streets go quiet after working hours. In the evening, walk along wide, well-lit streets such as Canal Street and Poydras Street, and take a taxi if you’re heading home late.

The Central Business District, which everyone calls the CBD, is the modern centre of New Orleans, with high-rises, offices and many of the city’s largest hotels. It doesn’t sound like much, but the location is hard to beat: cross Canal Street and you’re in the French Quarter. The city’s official tourism website also highlights the restored Saenger, Orpheum and Joy theatres on and around Canal Street.

The biggest advantage is transport. The public transport operator, RTA, has four streetcar lines, and they all meet around Canal Street. From here, the St. Charles line runs to the Garden District, the Canal Street lines towards City Park and the cemeteries, the Riverfront line along the river and the last line along Rampart Street towards Marigny. If you stay here, you can reach the other neighbourhoods without a car.

See hotels in the Central Business District here.

The hotels are typically bigger and newer than in the French Quarter, and several have a rooftop pool. That makes the CBD a good choice for families, for anyone who wants the most for their money and for a trip in the middle of summer, when a pool is nice to have.

The downside is the atmosphere. After working hours and at weekends, it’s quiet between the office buildings, and you have to cross into the French Quarter or head down to the Warehouse District to find some life. Look at the address too: a hotel north of Poydras Street is close to Canal Street, while a hotel out by Caesars Superdome means a longer walk home in the evening.

If you’re going to a game or a concert at the Superdome, on the other hand, this is the perfect place to stay. Just bear in mind that prices often rise when there are big events in the city.

Places to Stay in the Central Business District

The Roosevelt Hotel New Orleans - five-star classic a few steps from Canal Street

The Roosevelt is the CBD’s grand, classic luxury hotel and is part of Waldorf Astoria. It’s on Roosevelt Way, just over a hundred metres from Canal Street and the stop where the St. Charles line starts. It’s around 250 metres to the start of Bourbon Street.

The hotel has a heated outdoor pool with a pool bar, a spa, a gym, a rooftop bar and the Italian restaurant Domenica. I’d choose it for a special occasion, or if you want to stay in style with the French Quarter just around the corner. Prices vary a lot over the year, parking is expensive, and one guest was disturbed by a party in the corridor at night.

One delighted guest writes on Booking.com: “The pool! The room, the location, the kind staff, everything!”

See photos and book The Roosevelt Hotel New Orleans here.

Drury Plaza Hotel New Orleans - breakfast and evening buffet included on Poydras Street

Drury Plaza Hotel is on Poydras Street in the middle of the CBD, around 250 metres from Lafayette Square and half a kilometre from Canal Street. The National WWII Museum is less than a kilometre away.

What’s special here is what’s included in the price: a breakfast buffet every day, and hot food and cold drinks every evening. On top of that, there’s an outdoor pool, a hot tub and a gym, and there are suites with a sofa bed for families. The hotel has one of the highest ratings of all my suggestions in this guide. A few guests mention dated bathrooms, and one guest found that the jets in the hot tub weren’t working.

One guest highlights the evening buffet on Booking.com: “Food was great and free drinks an excellent bonus.”

See photos and book Drury Plaza Hotel New Orleans here.

Holiday Inn New Orleans-Downtown Superdome - large rooms and a rooftop pool near the Superdome

Holiday Inn New Orleans-Downtown Superdome is on Loyola Avenue, around 600 metres from Caesars Superdome and just under half a kilometre from Canal Street. The streetcar line between Union Passenger Terminal and Canal Street runs along Loyola Avenue past the hotel.

Here, you get a heated rooftop pool, a gym and the Clarinet Bistreaux restaurant, and guests praise the large rooms. The price is usually well below the other two, and the hotel is an obvious choice for a game or a concert. It’s just over 1.2 km to Jackson Square, so you’ll be doing a fair bit of walking. Several guests mention that the air conditioning is noisy.

One guest sums up their stay on Booking.com: “Huge room with very comfy beds. Short walk to the French Quarter, which was great.”

See photos and book Holiday Inn New Orleans-Downtown Superdome here.

3. Warehouse District - best area for museums, galleries and restaurants

• Distance from the centre: Just south of the Central Business District. From the National WWII Museum, it’s around 1.2 km to Canal Street and 1.8 km to Jackson Square.
• Transport: The St. Charles line runs along the western side of the neighbourhood, and the Riverfront line runs along the river between Julia Street and the French Market. Many people walk or take a short taxi ride to the French Quarter.
• Time from the airport: Around 18.5 km, and my estimate is 25 to 40 minutes by car. The 202 Airport Express bus runs to Union Passenger Terminal, just under a kilometre west of the National WWII Museum.
• Price range: $$ to $$$. Prices are often a little lower than in the French Quarter, but they rise when there are big trade shows at the convention centre.
• Safety: Calm around the museums and restaurants. In the evening, it’s quiet between the old warehouses, so stick to the busy streets, and take a taxi home from the French Quarter late at night.

The Warehouse District, also known as the Arts District, is made up of the old warehouses south of the CBD, which have been turned into museums, galleries, restaurants and hotels. There are fewer tourists here than in the French Quarter, and the atmosphere is more grown-up. Julia Street is nicknamed Gallery Row because of its many galleries, and the tourism office mentions several award-winning restaurants in the neighbourhood.

The big draw is the National WWII Museum, which is on Magazine Street and is open every day except a few public holidays. The museum itself suggests visits of anything from two hours to two days, so set aside plenty of time. Around a hundred metres away is the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, and the neighbourhood is also home to the Contemporary Arts Center.

See hotels in the Warehouse District here.

From the museum, it’s just over a kilometre to Canal Street. Allow just under half an hour on foot to Jackson Square, or a short taxi ride. That’s manageable, but this isn’t the neighbourhood for you if you want to spill straight out onto Bourbon Street.

On the plus side, you’ll sleep well. It’s quiet at night, the hotels are newer, and you have good restaurants and bars close by. I’d choose the Warehouse District if you’ve been to New Orleans before, if the museums are high on your list, or if you’re travelling as a couple and would rather eat well than party.

Bear in mind that the city’s convention centre is by the river on the edge of the neighbourhood. When there are big trade shows, the hotels fill up quickly and prices rise.

Places to Stay in the Warehouse District

The Higgins Hotel New Orleans - elegant hotel next to the National WWII Museum

The Higgins Hotel is on Magazine Street next to the National WWII Museum and is part of Hilton’s Curio Collection. It’s less than a hundred metres to the museum and a couple of hundred metres to the Ogden Museum of Southern Art.

It’s the best-rated of my three suggestions in the neighbourhood and my choice if the museums are the main reason for your trip. You get the Café Normandie restaurant, a bar and a gym, but no pool. It’s just over 1.2 km to Canal Street, so allow for a taxi or a walk when you’re heading to the French Quarter. One guest doesn’t think the hotel bar is anything special.

One guest writes about the neighbourhood on Booking.com: “Very clean and modern hotel in an interesting part of the city. Close to good bars and restaurants, but away from the main hustle and bustle.”

See photos and book The Higgins Hotel New Orleans here.

Cambria Hotel New Orleans Downtown Warehouse District - modern mid-range hotel on a quiet street close to the CBD

Cambria Hotel is on Tchoupitoulas Street in the northern part of the Warehouse District. It’s around 350 metres to Lafayette Square, half a kilometre to the National WWII Museum and just over 800 metres to Canal Street, which makes it the closest of my three suggestions here to the French Quarter.

The hotel has a restaurant, a bar and a gym, and you can choose a room with a king-size bed, two queen-size beds or a suite with a sofa bed. It’s a good choice for a couple or a small family who want somewhere modern and quiet. There’s no pool, and breakfast is only included if your rate says so. A few guests mention weak water pressure in the shower.

One previous guest writes on Booking.com: “Great location in a really nice quiet area of the city but close enough to the madness.”

See photos and book Cambria Hotel New Orleans Downtown Warehouse District here.

Sonesta ES Suites New Orleans Convention Center - suites with a kitchen, pool and breakfast included

Sonesta ES Suites is on Saint Joseph Street, a couple of hundred metres from the National WWII Museum. All the rooms are suites with a kitchen, from studios to two-bedroom suites, and there’s a heated outdoor pool and a gym.

A breakfast buffet is included in the price, and together with the kitchen, that makes the hotel the obvious choice for a family or for a longer stay on a budget. Of my three suggestions in the neighbourhood, this is often where you pay the least. The decor is dated, and several guests write that the carpets and the pool need some attention. It’s just over a kilometre to Canal Street.

One guest points out on Booking.com: “Location, staff, rooms are a great size with good kitchen facilities.”

See photos and book Sonesta ES Suites New Orleans Convention Center here.

4. Marigny & Bywater - best area for live music and colourful streets

• Distance from the centre: Marigny begins at Esplanade Avenue, where the French Quarter ends. From Frenchmen Street, it’s around 900 metres to Jackson Square, and Bywater is just over a kilometre and a half further east.
• Transport: You can walk to the French Quarter from Frenchmen Street. The streetcar line along Rampart Street runs between Canal Street and Elysian Fields Avenue, and for Bywater, a taxi or a ride-hailing app is the easiest option.
• Time from the airport: Around 20 km, and my estimate is 30 to 45 minutes by car. According to the airport, the flat taxi fare to the French Quarter applies west of Elysian Fields Avenue, so agree the price with the driver if you’re going further east.
• Price range: $ to $$$. Mostly small hotels, guesthouses and apartments, and only a few large hotels.
• Safety: Frenchmen Street is packed with people in the evening. The side streets are dark and quiet, so take a taxi or use a ride-hailing app when you’re heading deeper into Marigny or out to Bywater after dark.

Marigny, whose full name is Faubourg Marigny, is just east of the French Quarter on the other side of Esplanade Avenue. Here, you stay among brightly coloured wooden Creole houses, small cafés and bars, with Frenchmen Street within walking distance. It’s the street I’d head to for live music, because the clubs sit side by side here.

According to the New Orleans tourism office, Frenchmen Street is a 5 to 10-minute walk from the French Quarter. So you can easily stay here and walk in to Jackson Square during the day. Along the river is Crescent Park, where you can go for a walk with views of the water and the city skyline.

See hotels in Marigny and Bywater here.

Bywater is further east and is more a place where people live than a place for tourists. There are galleries and art along St. Claude Avenue, small places to eat and a slower pace. The choice of hotels is small, though, and most of it is apartments and guesthouses. The tourism office itself recommends a taxi or a pedicab when you’re heading deeper into Marigny or out to Bywater.

Noise is an issue here too. Right around Frenchmen Street, the music goes on until late, so choose a hotel a couple of streets from the clubs if you want an early night. The rest of the neighbourhood is quiet residential streets.

Marigny is the right choice if music is the reason you’re travelling to New Orleans, or if you’ve stayed in the French Quarter before and want a more local feel. For families with small children, and if you want a big hotel with lots of facilities, the CBD is a better fit.

Places to Stay in Marigny

Hotel Peter and Paul - atmospheric boutique hotel in a quiet part of Marigny

Hotel Peter and Paul is on Burgundy Street in the middle of Marigny, around 400 metres from Frenchmen Street and 1.3 km from Jackson Square. The hotel occupies historic buildings, and the room categories have names such as School House, Rectory and Convent.

There’s a restaurant, a bar and a coffee shop, and the hotel is my pick if you want to stay somewhere with personality rather than at a chain hotel. It suits couples best. Be aware that the rooms aren’t well soundproofed, according to several guests, and that one thinks the price is high for what you get. The hotel is east of Elysian Fields Avenue, so agree the taxi fare from the airport in advance.

One guest sums up the location on Booking.com: “Quiet location, 10-15 mins walk from all the action.”

See photos and book Hotel Peter and Paul here.

Hampton Inn New Orleans French Quarter Market Area - modern chain hotel with a pool and breakfast close to Frenchmen Street

Hampton Inn New Orleans French Quarter Market Area is on Elysian Fields Avenue, around 200 metres from Frenchmen Street and half a kilometre from the French Market. It’s just under a kilometre to Jackson Square.

It’s the practical choice in Marigny: an outdoor pool, a gym, a lift and breakfast included in the price. The rooms have either a king-size bed and a sofa bed or two queen-size beds, and some have a balcony. You don’t get the same charm as in the old houses, but you do get a modern room and a quiet night. Valet parking costs extra, and a few guests think the breakfast is mediocre.

Here’s what one guest says on Booking.com: “Brilliant location, a short stroll to Frenchmen Street and yet reasonably quiet.”

See photos and book Hampton Inn New Orleans French Quarter Market Area here.

Lamothe House Hotel - historic house from 1839 with a courtyard and pool

Lamothe House Hotel is on Esplanade Avenue, on the border between the French Quarter and Marigny. It’s less than 200 metres to Frenchmen Street, around 400 metres to the French Market and just over 700 metres to Jackson Square. The house dates from 1839 and has a courtyard and an outdoor pool.

It’s often cheaper to stay here than at the other two hotels, and it’s a good choice if you want to stay in an old house with soul close to the music. Bourbon Street ends at Esplanade Avenue a couple of hundred metres from here, but that’s the quiet end of the street. Breakfast isn’t served, some rooms are small, and one guest was given a room without a window, so read the room description carefully.

One guest writes about the location on Booking.com: “The location was amazing, just yards from Frenchmen Street and one block from Bourbon Street.”

See photos and book Lamothe House Hotel here.

5. Garden District & Lower Garden District - best area for quiet streets and streetcar rides

• Distance from the centre: Around 2 to 3 km south-west of Canal Street. The Lower Garden District is closest to the centre, and the Garden District continues on from it.
• Transport: The St. Charles line runs along St. Charles Avenue. According to RTA’s timetable, the ride from Canal Street to Jackson Avenue takes around 17 minutes, and a day pass, the Jazzy Pass, costs $3. See RTA’s fares.
• Time from the airport: Around 18.5 km, and my estimate is 25 to 40 minutes by car. Agree the price with the taxi driver, because the airport only states the flat fare to the French Quarter and the CBD.
• Price range: $$ to $$$. Often cheaper than the French Quarter, and several hotels have cheap or free parking.
• Safety: A quiet residential neighbourhood during the day. In the evening, it’s dark under the trees and there are few people about, so take the streetcar or a taxi right to the door rather than walking long stretches.

The Garden District is New Orleans at its prettiest: grand mansions with columns and verandas, lush gardens and old oak trees that form a canopy over the streets. The neighbourhood grew up from the early 19th century, and it’s a lovely place to wander around in the morning before the heat sets in.

Getting here is an experience in itself. According to the tourism office, the St. Charles line, with its green cars, has been running since 1835, and it goes from Canal Street past both the Lower Garden District and the Garden District. The ride is slow, so allow just under half an hour door to door when you’re heading in to the French Quarter.

See hotels in the Garden District here.

Most of the hotels are on St. Charles Avenue along the edge of the Lower Garden District, in other words at the end nearest the centre. From there, you can walk to the mansions in about a quarter of an hour, and Magazine Street, with its shops, cafés and restaurants, runs parallel a little further down towards the river.

Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 on Washington Avenue is the neighbourhood’s best-known sight, but it’s been closed to visitors for long periods, so check whether it’s open before you walk there.

The area is for you if you want peace and quiet, leafy streets and a hotel with a local feel, and you don’t mind taking the streetcar into town. The downside is the evenings: it’s a long way home from Frenchmen Street, and I’d take a taxi late at night. During Mardi Gras, many of the parades run along St. Charles Avenue, and then the hotels here are both expensive and booked up early.

Places to Stay in the Garden District and Lower Garden District

The Pontchartrain Hotel - classic hotel with a rooftop bar on St. Charles Avenue

The Pontchartrain Hotel is on St. Charles Avenue, with the streetcar stop at Jackson Avenue around 150 metres from the door. It’s just under 900 metres to Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 and just over 2 km to Canal Street.

The hotel has the Jack Rose restaurant, the Silver Whistle Café for breakfast and lunch, the Bayou Bar and the Hot Tin rooftop bar with views over the city. It’s my choice if you want a classic hotel with atmosphere and several bars under one roof. There’s no pool, and some guests find the hotel dated and worn and think the cleaning could be better. It also has the lowest rating among my luxury suggestions.

One guest says on Booking.com: “The location was excellent, we loved staying in the Garden District.”

See photos and book The Pontchartrain Hotel here.

St Charles Coach House - well-kept rooms and free parking by the streetcar line

St Charles Coach House is on St. Charles Avenue a few steps from The Pontchartrain, and the streetcar line runs right outside the door. The stop at Jackson Avenue is around 200 metres away.

It’s a smaller hotel with no restaurant or pool, but with a lift, a 24-hour reception and free parking, and the last of those is rare this close to the centre. Choose it if you’re on a road trip, or if you just want a clean, well-kept room at a sensible price. Some rooms have a balcony. Breakfast isn’t served, so plan on eating at a café in the neighbourhood.

One guest comment on Booking.com reads: “It was spotlessly clean, the beds were really comfortable and the staff were all really friendly.”

See photos and book St Charles Coach House here.

Maison Saint Charles - pool, courtyards and breakfast at a budget price

Maison Saint Charles is on St. Charles Avenue at the end of the Lower Garden District nearest the centre. It’s around half a kilometre to the National WWII Museum and just over a kilometre and a half to Canal Street, and the streetcar line runs past.

The hotel has an outdoor pool, a hot tub and several courtyards, and breakfast is included in the price. You can choose anything from standard rooms to a two-bedroom suite. It’s my budget suggestion in the area, and it’s good for families and for anyone with a car, because parking is cheaper than at most other places in the city. Guests mention noisy air conditioning and that the pool can be closed.

One guest notes on Booking.com: “Nice and quiet on a direct streetcar route. Nice breakfast and swimming pool.”

See photos and book Maison Saint Charles here.

Where should you avoid staying in New Orleans?

I wouldn’t stay right on Bourbon Street at the Canal Street end unless you want to party until late yourself. The music from the bars comes through the windows, and it doesn’t quieten down until very late. You’re better off a street or two away.

I’d also steer clear of the cheap chain hotels by the airport and along the highway if you’re here to experience the city. The airport is around 19 km from the French Quarter, so you’d spend time and money on transport every day. Uptown and Mid-City are pleasant neighbourhoods, but the choice of hotels is small, and on a first trip, you’d be staying a long way from most things.

The French Quarter is my first choice for a first trip, as long as you stay a street or two from Bourbon Street. If you want more hotel for your money, a pool and streetcars in every direction, I’d choose the Central Business District. The Warehouse District is for museums, good restaurants and quiet nights, Marigny is for you if you’re coming for the music, and the Garden District is for you if you want somewhere leafy and quiet.

The UK Foreign Office says in its travel advice for the USA that violent crime and gun crime rarely affect tourists, but that you should take care in unfamiliar areas and try not to walk through quieter areas alone, especially at night. In New Orleans, that means in practice staying in the neighbourhoods I’ve mentioned, sticking to busy streets in the evening and taking a taxi rather than walking through dark, empty streets.

Think about the time of year too. In July and August, the average daytime high reaches 92 degrees Fahrenheit, around 33 degrees Celsius, according to the city’s tourism office, and the high humidity makes it feel even hotter. The US National Weather Service explains the connection with its heat index. If you’re travelling in summer, I’d choose a hotel with a pool that’s a short walk from what you want to see. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from 1 June to 30 November and peaks around 10 September, according to the National Hurricane Center, so choose a rate with free cancellation in those months.

Hotel prices follow the calendar. Carnival season begins on 6 January and ends on Mardi Gras itself, which falls on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, and in the weeks leading up to it, prices rise sharply across the city. The same happens during the big music festivals and at major sporting events. Book early if you want to join the party, and choose a different week if you want the most for your money.

If you’re travelling on through the USA, I’ve also written about where to stay in New York and the best areas in Chicago. If you’re heading to Florida afterwards, you can read my guide to where to stay in Miami or see the best areas in Orlando.

The post Where to Stay in New Orleans? The 5 Best Areas & Places to Stay appeared first on Destination Well Known.